


Stay By My Side

by lloyddrose



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M, Family, Married Life, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 00:05:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17776781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lloyddrose/pseuds/lloyddrose
Summary: When you thought you're done for real, those surprisingly warm hands saved your life.





	Stay By My Side

They moved out.

The Survey Corps headed out to take their precious Titan Boy back from the hand of the traitors who dubbed themselves warriors. You were along the group, right under Commander Erwin's command, to lure the titans towards the Armored Titan. You who have worked with him for so many years didn't utter a single protest because you trusted him one hundred percent that he made the best decision for humanity's sake.

And his plan worked, as a pack of titans went towards Reiner and his group.

"All soldiers disperse! Get far away from the titans!"

There came the second command. You followed it too, as you began to ride your horse and stay away as far as you could from those gigantic creatures.

You are an excellent soldier. But the lack of practice made your skill kind of rather dull. It was because of your pregnancy. Even after you gave birth to a healthy baby girl 6 years ago, before the fall of Shiganshina, you have been absent from any expedition or field mission like this one and only handling the paperworks for more than 5 years, since you couldn't leave your daughter alone at home and make her waiting anxiously for her parents to go home safe and sound. In those times, you were also being quite a big help for the regiment, thanks to your intelligence by helping Hanji with her experiments and researches on titans, also helping Erwin in planning the expeditions. But when your daughter turned 6 around 3 months ago, you decided that it's time to go back and fight for humanity.

Nevertheless, you felt queasy. It was your third mission; the first one was the 57th Expedition Outside the Walls and the second was the mission to capture Annie Leonhart, the Female Titan, inside the Wall Sina. This one should have been easy for you, since you didn't need to fight a lot, only to lure those titans away and make way for the youngsters of 104th Training Corps who now joined the Survey Corps. Still, it was your first time to go on a mission without the presence of a certain raven haired man near you. You didn't work under him. Heck, you both actually had the same rank, though you couldn't compare yourself with your husband. Yet, you requested to serve under Erwin, since you haven't found your confidence to lead your own squad in any expeditions or missions. The commander agreed and that's why you kept close with him during this mission.

"We recover Eren and retreat immediately! Offer up your hearts!"

It's the next command. All of the soldiers charged towards the Armored Titan to rescue Eren.

"Advance!"

And it happened. In front of your (e/c) orbs, you saw your commander's arm got eaten by a titan.

"Commander!!"

Your eyes widened instantly as you unintentionally shrieked. But despite his condition, his order remained the same.

"Advance!! Eren is just ahead! Advance!"

Your eyes shaken, terrified at the scene.

"(F/n)!! Advance! It's an order!"

You blinked, realizing what situation you were in. Right, you were in a crimson battlefield. You couldn't lose your focus even just for one second. As you braced yourself, you headed forward in full speed...

**Only to meet a disgusting, opened jaw.**

✧✧✧

  
The tea cup he held just a second ago slipped out from his grip. The porcelain cup shattered, the plain tea stained his room's floor as he heard the news. His face probably remained stoic as usual but the glint in his steel grey eyes said something else. Rage, sorrow, guilt were reflected in them. His walking steps quickened into a running mode, ignoring the pain on his ankle that worsened by seconds.

"Hanji, is (f/n)—?"

He let his sentence unfinished when he barged into the redhead's room. He was afraid that the news he got earlier was true.

_"The troop has back, sir. But, I'm afraid to say that Captain (f/n) is nowhere to be seen."_

"Levi, we really couldn't find—"  
"Don't joke with me, Hanji!"  
"I also don't know what happened! I wasn't there, remember?"

Levi was about to lash out once again. He couldn't think straight, his logic wasn't working. But Hanji's next words silenced him. Or more like, it slapped him.

"Your anger won't solve anything nor bring her back to us. (F/n) is precious to me too, you know? Keep your head cool and ask Erwin or someone who's with her."

The captain let out a desperate sigh as he raked his hair in a frustration and walked out of Hanji's room without a word.

✧✧✧

  
"Erwin."  
"Oh, Levi. Come in."

Levi stepped into the room. The blonde commander was definitely not in a good shape. Covered in bandages here and there, his right arm was gone.

"Let me be straight. Do you know anything that happened to (f/n)? You were with her, weren't you?"  
"Yes, I was. But when a titan got me, that was the last time I saw her and spoke to her."  
"You couldn't find her after Eren retrieved or you didn't search for her?" Levi asked again through gritted teeth.  
"I'm sorry, but we didn't have time. Those titan shifters might come to Eren once again if we take time to record the dead and the lost."

The raven haired man went silent. He couldn't blame Erwin or anyone. He knew very well that the condition was bad. They were in a pinch. It's not like they didn't want to search for you and intentionally leave you.

"But—"  
"You know that sacrifices are needed, Levi. (F/n)'s sacrifice won't come to waste."  
"At least make sure that she's died or not!"

Erwin didn't flinch or surprised when Levi finally lost his composure. He knew how important his subordinate is for Levi.

"I'm going by myself."

He turned on his heels and walked towards the door. By the time his hand reached the door handle, Erwin's voice stopped him.

"You're injured."  
"I know, but it doesn't matter. As long as I can find her, it really doesn't matter to me."  
"There's no guarantee that you will find (f/n)."  
"At least I tried."  
"You will die when you try it, remembering the state you are in now."  
"I don't care."  
"Then Lizzie will be all alone. You're okay with that too?"  
"I—"

Lizzie Ackerman, your 6 years old daughter, one of your and Levi's proof of love. The words 'I don't care about her too' couldn't leave his throat. He loves his baby girl so much as he loves you, his wife. He couldn't just abandon her, albeit it's for the sake of finding you.

"Then I won't die. I'll be back safely after I find (f/n)."

The door opened then closed shut.

✧✧✧

  
Levi began his solo mission. He had his injured ankle taped tightly after the doctor on their infirmary gave him a pain killer. He rode his horse as fast as he can, avoiding a few titans without much trouble. As long as he didn't meet an abnormal, he would be fine because he didn't need to fight.

Eren had told him where he should go if he wants to search for you. It didn't take long for Levi to find you, or your pale hand which adorned with a simple wedding band on your ring finger, jutted out from under the rocks and dirts.

And Levi felt his heart stopped at that moment.

✧✧✧

  
_"Captain!"_

_Your subordinate saved you, killed the titan before it could eat you. But unfortunately, your horse shocked and it made you fell on your back. And what worse was they were on an open space, without buildings and such, so you couldn't use your 3D maneuver. Consider running on your feet? It's the same as committing suicide. But, you did it anyway. You wouldn't give up just like that. You still wanted to live. You had a reason to live. Your husband and daughter were waiting for you. You had to go back, no matter what._

_Yet, fate said the opposite. The armored titan began to throw the titans that attacking him. And one of them fell right before you. You got knocked over and the rubbles hit you. The sight of Levi and Lizzie filled your view when you almost lost your consciousness._

_"I'm really sorry, Levi."_

✧✧✧

  
Your body was covered in blood when Levi finally got you out from under the rubbles. His cool composure was gone from long ago, ever since he found you in such a horrible state. The first thing that he did was checking your pulse. It was really weak that made him thought the worst might happened to his beloved anytime sooner. He didn't waste his time as he picked your body up and walked towards his horse. That's when, he sensed something was getting closer to them.

'Titans?'

Yes. It was an abnormal titan who moved pretty fast on its all fours. Levi was prepared for this. He knew that even if he tried to avoid them at all cost, it won't go that easy. But, with the minimum numbers of tree and building, he decided to lure it so it will hit something while it focused on him. He mounted his horse with you on his shoulder then put you in a sitting position in front of him. Pulling your body close to his, he took the reign and dashed back to where he came before, back to the HQ. The titan tailed him and began to catch up.

"Captain Levi!"

His eyes widened slightly, clearly surprised since he went to retrieve you by himself, alone. From a far, he could see soldiers on horse with their green cape. Erwin must be the one who sent them here, he thought.

"Go on ahead; we'll lure it, sir!"

Levi gave a single nod and sped up. You were his priority. And Levi was ready to become a selfish captain who abandoned his subordinates if it means he can save your life right on time.

✧✧✧

  
The doctor said that for a few days, you wouldn't wake up and would be needed the support of ventilator and its kind. You were in a vegetative state. The number of medical equipment on your body never failed to make Levi showed a painful grimace every time he stayed by your side. He hasn't went home yet, although it has been 3 days. It was Hanji who tried to persuade him.

"Levi, go back to your home."  
"No, thank you."  
"At least, sleep for a few hours on your bed, then."  
"I'm used to sleep like this," he referred to his sitting position.  
"You even haven't taken a bath for days!"  
"I'm not that dirty."  
"You stink, you know?"  
"I don't really care about that."

Hanji sighed deeply at his refusal. It wasn't like Levi at all. The clean freak Captain has refused to clean himself up? It's like the world has been coming to an end.

"How about Lizzie? Will you also abandon her, like you abandon yourself?"  
"I entrusted her to (f/n)'s relative."  
"(F/n) would be really angry if she know what you did, Shorty."  
"Let her be."  
"You became crazy, huh?"  
"I don't mind if it's because of her."

It was Hanji's second sigh in her conversation with Levi. And it signed that she has already given up on persuading him.

"Do whatever you want, you stubborn brat."  
"I will."

No one could make him leave your side. He didn't admit it often, but deep down inside, he loves you so much and even more than his own life.

✧✧✧

  
It's bright. You had to squint your eyes in order to adjust your sight with your surroundings. Apparently, the sun has come out. And it took you awhile to realize that you weren't alone in that room. A familiar figure was sleeping in a wooden chair which wasn't far from your bed. And your tears ran down immediately. You tried to pinch your cheek and guess what? It hurt. It wasn't a dream. You're alive. You're still alive.

You spent a couple of minutes to adore the sleeping figure beside you. He's not tall; he had a frown on his face which made him looked grumpy and scary; his clothes and hair were unusually messy, which made her quite shocked; and he also stinks, a bit. But above all those thing, you were glad that you could see him again, the love of your life. He didn't look that healthy and with a glance, you could tell that he's super tired. You reached out to touch his face. But before you could do that, he grabbed your wrist first as he opened his eyes. You were surprised but a smile crept up immediately when you met those steel grey orbs of his.

"Hey."

His mouth went agape; his bloodshot eyes widened as he quickly grasped your hand and kissed the back of it. Levi hung his head to hide his crying face from you. Yet, you took his chin and lifted it up; so that you could take a look at the handsome face of his that you love.

"Why did you cry?"

It's unusual for Levi to cry. It's true that you saw him cry a few times, but you still couldn't use to it. You wiped his tears gently with your thumb, and then caressed his cheek lovingly.

"I thought that you'll leave me."

You both have the same fear. The thought that you would leave Levi and Lizzie behind was the biggest reason why you feared death. You began to cry again, even though you told yourself that you mustn't cry.

"Yeah. I also thought that I'll die at that time," you said as you recalled the incident.  
"I don't want to lose you."

The raven haired man never looked so vulnerable before. It hurt you deeply when you thought how much he suffered to find you in the brink of death. You would suffer greatly if it was him who lay on your bed right now.

"Me neither," you choked, "I'm sorry."  
"Don't ever leave me again."

You nodded.

"I love you, (f/n)."  
"I love you too, Levi."  
"Promise me that you'll stay by my side, forever."

Again, you nodded.

"I promise."


End file.
